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Astute consumers may notice that computers advertising similar numbers can vary significantly in price. Though price can sometimes relate to computing power, the amount of memory and the processor speed alone don’t determine how well a computer performs. Additional factors include the graphics, memory speed, processor type and motherboard.

Motherboard

Computing happens when different components “talk” to each other. The speed at which they talk plays an important role in how fast a computer runs. This speed is limited by the front side bus. FSB speed varies even between motherboards which accept the same CPU and memory types. Like the CPU, the speed of the FSB is measured in megahertz; limitations on the FSB speed reduce your ability to run high-speed memory or your CPU at the optimum clock speed. The motherboard also sets the speed of the Serial ATA, the port through which the hard drive connects. Current common variations of SATA include 3GB/s and 6 GB/s standards.

Processor Type

Performance is not just a factor of clock speed. In recent years, processors have stopped increasing significantly in clock rate and instead have begun increasing in number and efficiency. Single chips can now offer two, four or even 12 processing cores. This means that a four-core processor of the same clock rate can process up to four times as much data as a single-core processor of the same speed. Processor manufacturers also divide their chips into budget, standard and premium grades. A Core i3 from Intel simply functions less efficiently than a Core i7.

Memory Speed

Computer manufacturers often list the amount of memory, but rarely the speed at which that memory operates. Memory rated at a low speed, or operating on a motherboard with a lower FSB, will not perform as well as the same amount of memory clocked at higher speeds.

Graphics Adapter

Most office machines have built-in graphics adapters that perform adequately for single tasks. For computer games or video editing, however, an underpowered graphics card can cause stuttering on the screen.

About the Author

Jacob Andrew previously worked as an A+ and CCNA-certified technology specialist. After receiving his BA in journalism from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2012, he turned his focus towards writing about travel, politics and current technology.